When I was in high school, my Spanish teacher required all of his students to participate in a certain number of designated, off-campus “cultural events” each semester. Unfortunately, Señor (as we called him) completely dropped the ball on scheduling these events, and by the end of the year, he had only offered a fraction of the number we were supposed to attend. ...
vegan
Cranberry-Apple Smoothie
Try as I might, I cannot bring myself to be excited about drinking a cold green smoothie in the morning for breakfast. Or as an afternoon snack. Or, well, anytime. My excuse is that I live in Michigan. Gut reaction to “winter + smoothies” = noooooo. At least, that was the response the boyfriend gave when, on a recent dog walk, with icy snow blowing in our faces, I asked if he wanted to split ...
Moroccan Apricot Couscous
Do you ever find yourself in a side-dish dilemma? I bet you know what I'm talking about: dinnertime is drawing near, you’ve got the main dish covered, but you still need something more to complete the meal. I often find myself in this predicament. While there’s no shame in plunking down a few random veggies or a dinner roll and calling it a side, these last-minute additions can sometimes feel ...
Strawberry Rhubarb Vinaigrette
It has been almost five years since I moved from California, and you know what I’m still not used to? Summer rainstorms and the staggering attendant humidity. Snow and the bitter cold I can handle – although I’ll gripe about it along with everyone else, for sure! At least I was mentally prepared for the cold. I mean, it’s all anyone talks about when you say that you’re moving to Michigan. ...
Vegan Chocolate Mousse Parfaits
Every kid has at least one food that he or she dreads seeing on the table come dinnertime. Liver. Brussels sprouts. Toad stroganoff (as imagined by the ever hyperbolic, notoriously picky Calvin of Calvin and Hobbes). In retrospect, I can see that I had it pretty good, but nevertheless, for me, that food was tofu. The only time I was ever happy to be served tofu? When it came dressed as dessert, ...
Peanut Butter Pumpkin Cookies for Dogs
I don’t know exactly when Phoebe’s birthday is. I adopted her from a rescue group, which took in her litter from a high-kill shelter in another state, and no one knew the details of the puppies’ early life. While it’d be nice to know her actual birthday, I think the uncertainty of it just makes her adoptiversary that much more special and fun to celebrate! This week, we’re celebrating her second ...
Apple Spice Cake
I’m sure some of you are thinking, “Apple cake?! But it’s not fall anymore!” Well, as much as I love to feature seasonal foods, sometimes I’m inexplicably in the mood for something…unseasonal. Does that ever happen to you? Like, it’s the middle of July and you think to yourself, “You know, I could really go for some pumpkin bread right about now!”? Luckily, apples are one of the few fruits that ...
Mexican Quinoa Salad
Today is my first ever REAL snow day! I’m not going to lie – I’m pretty darned excited about it. In true graduate student fashion, however, I'm excited about it because it means that I can stay home and have time to work without interruption. My university cancelled class once last year as well, although technically that wasn’t because of snow accumulation, but rather because the ...
Cherry Cashew Rice Pilaf
In college, I had already been living in an apartment and cooking for myself for almost a year before I took a real interest in cooking, and shortly thereafter, I received America’s Test Kitchen Family Cookbook as a Christmas gift. Having grown a bit bored with living off basic chicken and rice dishes, green bean casserole, and tuna melts, I was super excited to try some new recipes, and this ...
Sweet Potato Enchilada Bowls
You know those days when you’re lethargic and exhausted and sorely tempted to order take-out or pick up something for dinner on your way home? These sweet potato enchilada bowls are a perfect solution for days like those! They’ve not only become my go-to meal when I don’t really feel like cooking, but also one of my favorite comfort food meals: quick, flavorful, and satisfying! ...